Returning to the Rivers: Choose Clean Water Film Tour 2021

This summer, the Choose Clean Water team are returning to the rivers to tell the next important part of the story and seed the new mahi we must do. We need your help to do this.

THE PROJECT

We are going to produce three short films, profiling the stories of local experts, hapū and others in our communities about how much commercial water interests are taking from our awa and groundwater and the effects this has. We're going to ask them what solutions they see for restoring water flows and their vision for healthy rivers in Aotearoa.

Our films will tell the stories of people in three parts of the country, who are feeling the impact of too much water being taken from rivers. These films have the mission to share the voices of local people who care about the health of their waterways.

Their voices will guide our calls to our elected representatives to base their decision making on the fact that while freshwater is renewable, it is finite. It is possible to take too much. We need to return water to the rivers.

ABOUT CHOOSE CLEAN WATER

In 2016, the Choose Clean Water team travelled the length of the country, collecting stories of everyday people who were being hurt by the degradation of their awa (rivers). The 24 short films we produced raised public awareness about the state of our rivers and lay the foundation for our campaign for healthy, swimmable rivers.

Since then, a lot has changed.

WHY YOU'RE NEEDED

Together, with you, our supporters, ActionStation members and many others, we’ve fought for stronger freshwater policy. We’ve won new rules that take some good steps to addressing New Zealand’s widespread water pollution, including limits on synthetic nitrogen fertiliser. But Aotearoa’s precious fresh waterways are still under threat.

With your help, the films will support the call on our elected representatives to put a moratorium on further water takes (as called for by Kāhui Wai Māori), revoke consents to take water where the health of rivers and people is suffering, and put in place fair and healthy limits on how much water can be used. The best action we can take for mitigation and building resilience in the face of climate change is to protect the health of our natural environment.

WHAT YOUR FUNDING WLL SUPPORT

Choose Clean Water is volunteer run and won't charge for time, but there are a lot of other costs that we need to cover - with your help!

WE KNOW HOW POWERFUL TELLING PERSONAL STORIES CAN BE

They provide vital context and a voice for our most pressing issues. Help us tell these new, powerful stories to support change.

We can't do this without you. Thank you for your support.